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Derry Area SD middle school students showcase activities as district outlines K–12 PBIS program
Summary
At a Derry Area School District board meeting, middle school student leaders described homecoming and spirit activities. District staff presented the districtwide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports program, detailing tiered supports, rewards systems and teacher training; no formal board action was taken.
Middle school student leaders presented examples of recent spirit and house activities to the Derry Area School District Board of Directors, and district staff described a K–12 Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports program that school leaders said is reducing negative behaviors and increasing student engagement.
Students began the evening: “My name is Laken Key, and I am the president of the [middle] school student leadership,” student Laken Key said, followed by classmates who described homecoming floats, hallway artwork and spirit-week events.
District administrators then outlined PBIS and how it operates districtwide. “PBIS” was described as a tiered system: universal expectations and rewards for all students (tier 1), targeted supports for some students (tier 2) and intensive individualized plans for a small number of students (tier 3).
Dr. Perry, a district staff member who led the presentation, described classroom-level lessons and a multi-adult reward system. “When we see students following expectations, we give out PBIS stars,” Dr. Perry said. At Grandview Elementary, staff described quarterly rewards tied to collected stars — dances, movie events and extended recess — and a “student of the month” recognition with community-donated prizes.
Presenters described how the middle school uses a house system in seventh and eighth grades and a program called ROCK in sixth grade to promote responsibility, respect and community service. Sixth-graders participate in “midday homeroom” sessions every sixth day that focus on citizenship and social-emotional learning; presenters said those sessions last about 30 minutes and are planned by teachers.
Administrators described additional classroom practices at Grandview, including “Boring Bucks,” a classroom currency students can spend at a quarterly student store, and family-facing communications such as quarterly reports and social media posts. One presenter noted that the district’s PBIS kickoff appears in the superintendent’s report and will be shared in district communications.
Board members asked how PBIS time is scheduled and whether materials are standardized across grades. Dr. Perry said sixth-grade lessons follow a developed curriculum while seventh and eighth grades use house meetings and project-based activities tied to larger school initiatives, such as a community fundraiser called Farkleberry.
No formal board action was taken on PBIS. Presenters and several board members encouraged continued family engagement and said the district will circulate the superintendent’s report and the PBIS kickoff materials to the community.
